Hydraulic modules



June 6, 1961 P. ALEXANDRE HYDRAULIC MODULES Z5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 18, 1958 INVENTOR Philip 1e Alexandre llllvfi;

ATTORNEYS June 6, 1961 P. ALEXANDRE HYDRAULIC MODULES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed April 18, 1958 INVENTOR Phi/i n ve Alexandre I'M BY A W ATTORNEYSJune 6, 1961 P. ALEXANDRE HYDRAULIC MODULES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April18, 1958 INVENTOR Phi/[p ne Alexandre ATTORNEYS United States ParentOfice Patented June 6, 1961 2,986,887 HYDRAULIC MODULES PhilippeAlexandre, La Tronche, France, assignor to S- ciete Grenobloise dEtudeset dApplications Hydrauliques, Grenoble, France, a corporation of FranceFiled Apr. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 729,336 Claims priority, applicationFrance July 24, 1957 Claims. (Cl. 61-18) This invention relates tohydraulic apparatus and more especially to hydraulic modules designed tocontrol flow of hydraulic fluid or water so as to discharge a constantvolume with varying levels or pressure heads upstream of the apparatus.

Apparatus of this type has been constructed heretofore utilizing one ormore baifles disposed within a flow chamber or channel, these bafllescooperating with generally vertical lateral walls of the chamber andwith a bottom or base wall to form one or more orifices through whichthe discharge is effected and by means of which the flow is controlled.When a plurality of such balfles are used one battle is disposeddownstream with respect to another baffle and it has been founddesirable to position the downstream baffle in the chamber so that itforms with the bottom wall of the chamber an orifice of reduced areawith respect to the area of the orifice similarly formed by the upstreambaflle. .In such a construction utilizing a plurality of haflles also ithas been proposed that the baflles be so formed and disposed as todirect the flow which occurs between two baflles, upon overflow of theupstream baflle of the two, against the water flowing through theorifice provided beneath the upstream baflie.

The operation of a module having two bafiles is carried out in thefollowing manner:

As the head of water increases so that the level of the water in themodule upstream of the first haffle rises, this first baffle is firstengaged and the flow of the Water through the orifice provided by thefirst baflie is determined by this first orifice under the head due tothe level of the water in the module. The water level continuing torise, when it reaches the height of the top of the first baifle thewater will overflow this first bafiie and fall into the space betweenthe two baflies. Upon further rise of the water level suflicient waterwill overflow the first bathe to fill the space between the two bafiiesand to eflect flow downwardly through this space, this downward flowmeeting the generally horizontal flow which is occurring beneath thefirst baflie.

When the water rises further and a head of water is developed in themodule by the water rising to a level substantially above the firstbaflle, the flow in the downstream direction is determined generally bythe second orifice. This flow, however, is modified by the effect of thesubmerged orifice through which a part of the water flows between thelower edge of the first baffle and the bottom wall of the flow chamberand is further modified by directing, as above mentioned, the flow ofthe water in the space between the two baflfles angularly downward inthe upstream direction against the stream of water flowing beneath thefirst baflle. This may be accomplished by forming and disposing the twobaflles with lower portions inclined to the horizontal and downwardly inthe upstream direction.

' In conventional modules having two baflies, for a given loss of headand a given allowable variation of the discharge above and below anormal discharge, by making the downstream orifice defined below thesecond bafiie of less area than the upstream orifice defined below thefirst battle, the discharge may be controlled to a greater extent by thedownstream battle when the water level is high and the head required foreffecting the downstream flow through the orifices is therefore greater,so that the module may be operated with a considerable rise of theupstream level above the normal level. The lower edges of the twobafiies in a conventional module are horizontal.

Tests carried out by the applicant, however, have shown that, in orderto increase the control characteristics of a module without changing theinclination of the batfles which, as mentioned above, directs the flowbetween the two baffles in the upstream direction toward the upstreamorifice, it is necessary to substantially diminish the area of thedownstream orifice as compared to conventional practice, that is to say,it is necessary to place the downstream ,baflie as low as possible whileavoiding a position for this bafiie which will cause it to be engaged bythe water flowing through the upstream orifice before the upstreambaflie is engaged. If the downstream baflle were first engaged thecondition might occur that a very small discharge would take place whichmight be less than the minimum allowable discharge. While it isdesirable for the reasons mentioned above to have the downstream battleand its orifice control the flow when the water level is at asubstantial height in the module and with the upstream baffle submerged,it is undesirable that the downstream orifice shall control the flowwhen the water level in the module is low and at such height, less thanthe level of the top of the first baflie, that the water is flowing onlythrough the first orifice beneath the first baffle and not through thespace between the two baflles.

In the conventional module the lowest position in which it is normallypossible to dispose the second or downstream bafile is determined by thecondition that this baflle shall not engage the sheet of water flowingthrough the upstream orifice when the sheet of water is on the point ofbeing engaged by the first or upstream baflle.

It has been shown by tests carried out by the applicant that anadvantageous effect is secured by modifying the lower edge of hetupstream baflle. If, for example, the lower edge of this upstreambafile, instead of being horizontal, is formed with an inclination fromone lateral wall to the other, it becomes possible to begin theengagement of the upstream baflle before this baflle would be engaged ifits edge were horizontal. It the area beneath the inclined edge of thebafile is made equal to the required area for the orifice utilizing ahorizontal edge, it will be understood that the lower part of theinclined edge dips into the rising water at the very beginning of theengagement of the bafile by the water and that the portion of the edgeengaged continuously increases as the water rises, the full area of theorifice not being utilized until the water level reaches the higher endof the inclined edge of the bafifle. The total flow area beingsubstantially the same as with a horizontal lower edge, the discharge ofthe water through this orifice for any given head will remainsubstantially the same.

It will be understood further with this form of baflle utilizing aninclined edge or an edge of such contour that it initially does notengage the water stream for the full extent of this edge, that the flowarea is gradually increased as more and more of the edge becomes submerged but the full restriction is not developed at once as when thehorizontal edge engages the water stream. The form of the stream flowingfrom the first baffle starts to be modified by the portion engaged,however, so that the lower edge of the second or downstream baflle maybe disposed at a lower point than otherwise would be the case if theedge of the first baflle were horizontal. Consequently, the area of theorifice at the second baflle is reduced and the rise of the level abovethe normal level necessary to produce a given flow through the module isrequired to be greater, so that the upstream level of water may increasesubstantially as compared with a conventional module.

It is an object of the invention, with a view to securing lmprovedoperating characteristics above mentioned, to provide for the upstreambafHe a profile of its lower edge such that a varying area of flowbeneath this baflle is secured as the water rises following firstengagement of the lowermost portion of the bafile. In practice theoutline of this profile will be such that the area of the orifice belowthe first baffle will be the same as would be required for a rectilinearhorizontal conventional profile.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood from thedescription to follow taken in connection with the drawings in which-FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a module according to the inventionoperating with the upstream orifice controlling the flow;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of this module operating with thedownstream orifice controlling the flow;

FIG. 3 shows in elevation a bafiie according to the invention;

FIG. 4a shows a modification of this baflie, and

FIG. 4b shows a further modification of the baffle.

In FIG. 1 the module is constructed with a conventional sill or bottomwall 1 upon which are erected lateral walls 3 extending generallyparallel to the direction of flow of the hydraulic fluid, these verticalwalls 3 being spaced apart transversely of the direction of flow. Across section of the module is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3 in whichthe sill 1 is shown as a base wall and the lateral walls are shown asparallel vertical side walls of the flow chamber or channel.

Spanning between the lateral walls is an upstream baflie 5 disposed withits planar extent inclined to the horizontal and with its lower edge 7spaced vertically above the base wall 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Asshown in FIG. 3 in the modification being described the lower edge 7 ofthis baffle is rectilinear but disposed at an inclination to thehorizontal, the area defined by the edge 7 and the base wall 1 and thelateral walls 3 being substantially equal to an area represented by thedotted outline 9 for the horizontal lower edge of a bafile ofconventional form.

As above indicated, as the water rises in the chamber above the basewall 1 and just comes into engagement with the lowest point of the edge7 of the bafiie 5, the area of flow is represented by a rectangle havingthe height of this lower end point of the edge 7 and a width equal tothe distance between the lateral walls 3. As the water rises furtherinto engagement with the bafile, the lower edge 7 gradually becomessubmerged until the water level reaches the height of the upper end ofthe edge 7.

The area through which the water flows when the edge 7 is thus fullysubmerged is equal to the area beneath a conventional baflle when theedge 9 of such conventional baffie just starts to be submerged. It willbe understood that the baffle with the inclined edge, therefore, hasbeen elfective to control the fiow through the orifice earlier in therise of the water upon the bathe and to restrict this flow more than if,for the same area, during the development of the full fiow area of theorifice the lower edge of the baffle were horizontal.

When the water has risen to any height, for example k in FIG. 1, theorifice beneath the inclined edge 7 is eliective to control the flow,the stream taking the form with the profile S generally as shown inFIG. 1. The water may continue to rise in engagement with the bathe 5until it reaches the top 11 of the baffle 5, this top portion in theembodiment shown in the drawin being of arcuate form so that, when theWater overflows this top portion 11, it will flow over a smoothly curvedsurface into the space between the baffle 5 and the downstream baflie13. It will be understood that under these conditions the gate 31,hereinafter further described, will be raised to the open position as inFIG. 2. i

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the downstream baflie 13 is formedwith a vertically disposed wall in spaced relation downstream withrespect to the curved portion of the baflie 5. The bathe 13 also has areverted portion 15 directed downwardly and upstream in angular relationto the horizontal and to the flow from the upstream or-ifice andgenerally parallel to the extent of the bafiie 5.- The water overflowingthe portion 11 of the baflie 5 will fall through the space between thebaflles until, as the water in the module continues to rise, a level isreached at which the flow between the two baffles fills the spacetherebetween and the lower edge 17 of the downstream baffle 13 becomeseffective to control the discharge from the module. The level maycontinue to rise to some level h as in FIG. 2 which determines a flowthrough the orifices and a form of the stream as at -5 This flow,however, to a certain extent will be the result of the effect of the nowsubmerged orifice at the edge 7 of the first or upstream baffle and ofthe effect of the angularly directed flow occurring between the inclinedportions of the baffle 5 and the bafile 13.

It will be noted in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 that the lower edge 17of the bame 13 is disposed at a lower lever than the lower edge 7 of thebaffle 5. It will be noted from FIG. 1, however, that the lower edge 17of the baffle 13 is not disposed at such a low level as to engage orinterfere with the steam of the water issuing from the upstream orificebelow the lower edge 7 of the bathe 5 when this battle alone controlsthe flow. Nevertheless, when the orifice at the edge 17 becomeseffective as in FIG. 2 to control the flow from the module,

a greater head of the water in the module, that is to say a greater risein the upstream level of the water, is required to produce the desireddischarge because of the reduction of the area of the orifice at theedge 17 of the bafile 13 made possible due to the form of the lower edgeof the upstream bafiie 5, as described. Although this upstream head maybe greater, the discharge flow remains restricted by the smaller area ofthe downstream orifice cooperating with the efiect of the submergedorifice at the upstream bafiie and the reverted flow between the twobafiies directed upstream.

In FIG. 4a is shown a modification of the upstream baflie 5 of theinvention in which the lower edge is formed with two portions 19 thatare in inclined relation to the horizontal and extend oppositely from acentral point 21 upwardly to the vertical edges of the bafiie at thelateral walls 3. In this case also the area defined by the lower edges19 above the floor or base wall 1 of the module may be equal to thecorresponding area of a horizontal edge 23 indicated in dotted line inFIG. 4a for a conventional bafile.

FIG. 4b shows another modification of the lower edge of the bafile ofthe invention in which a central part of the baflie 5 has a horizontaledge portion 25 which is in stepped relation to two laterally disposedhorizontal portions 27. The edge portions 25 and 27 may be disposed withreference to the base wall 1 of the channel so that the area defined bythe edges 25, 27 is the same as for a conventional bafiie having acontinuous horizontal lower edge 29, as shown in dotted line in FIG. 4b.

In each of the modificati ms of FIGS. 4a and 41; it will be understoodthat a portion of the lower edge of the bafile is engaged by the risingwater before another portion of this lower edge, so that the lowerportion of this edge becomes submerged and, therefore, begins todetermine the orifice and the how before the edge is fully submerged.Restriction of the flow and contraction, therefore, take place whichmakes it possible to dispose 'the downstream or second bathe with itsedge at a lower position than would be the case ifthe lower edge of theupstream bafiie were horizontal.

The module shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with a closing. gate 31which is supported by means not shown between the lateral walls 3 of themodule, and preferably, downstream with respect to the downstream bafiie13, for vertical movement between open and closed positions. The gate 31carries a plate 33 having upper and lower ends bevelled with respect tothe horizontal for engagement by a chape or clevis 35 which is pivotallysupported on a shaft 37 which extends horizontally between and issupported by the vertical lateral walls 3. A lever 39 also is pivotallysupported on this shaft 37 for movement between the two positions shownrespectively in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2. In FIG. 1 the lever 39 is heldagainst movement by a bolt 41 insertable in an opening 43 in the wall 3of the module and, in the position of FIG. 1, passing through a hole 45in the lever 39. Attached to the clevis 35 also is a counterweight lever47 which biases the clevis 35 in the counter clockwise direction uponthe axis of the shaft 37 and serves for operating the clevis 35.

When the gate 31 is in the lowermost position as shown in FIG. 1engaging the base wall 1 and shutting off the flow through the module itmay be locked in this position by the clevis 35 engaging the upperbevelled end of the plate 33. The arm 47 tends to hold the clevis 35 inthe position shown in FIG. 1 but the disposition of this clevis and ofthe upper bevelled edge of the plate 33 are such with respect to theshaft 37 that any upwardly acting force due to the vertical movement ofthe gate 31 will tend to move the clevis 35 in the counter clockwisedirection on the shaft 37 and, therefore, into jamming engagement withthe plate 33 to prevent such upward movement.

When it is desired to raise the gate 31 the bolt 41 may be withdrawnfrom the holes 43, 45 and the lever 39 moved pivotally clockwise uponthe shaft 37 to the position shown in FIG. 2 in which the clevis 35 isout of engagement with the upper bevelled edge of the plate 33 by virtueof the clevis pivoting upon the shaft 37 with respect to the lever 39.This may be accomplished because, as the clevis 51 carried by the lever39 is moved clockwise upon the shaft 37 and away from the plate 33, thisclevis 35 which is otherwise blocked by the clevis 51 also may move awayfrom the plate with the lever 39 and the clevis 51. Engagement of theclevis 35 with the upper inclined edge of the plate 33 for this releasedcondition does not prevent this movement because of the bevelled upperedge of the plate 33 and the pivoting of clevis 35 on the shaft 37.

In the position of the clevises 35 and 51 and the lever 39 as shown inFIG. 2 the gate 31 may be raised to the position shown in which thelower bevelled edge of the plate 33 is above the clevis 35. This clevisthen may be moved counter clockwise about the shaft 37 by moving thelever 47 downward, or by moving the lever 39 downward so that the clevis51 effects movements of clevis 35 toward the plate. The bolt 41 then maybe inserted in the holes 43 and 45. Such movement of the clevis 35causes it to engage the plate 33 and to support the gate againstdownward movement, so that the water may flow through the orifices asabove described. It will be noted that the lower edge of the gate 31 inthis raised position is such as not to interfere with the flow throughthe downstream orifice at S The gate may be provided with a stop element55 which may serve to limit both the upward movement and, if desired,the downward movement by engagement with stop elements carried by thewalls 3.

It will be understood that the invention includes within its scopebaffles having outlines or contours of the lower edges thereof ofdifferent forms which provide for the variation of the height of theorifice beneath the baflie along the lower edge from one lateral wall ofthe module to the other. Such a lower edge may form with the base walland lateral walls in some cases a symmetrical orifice, as in FIGS. 4aand 4b, or an orifice of unsymmetrical form as in FIG. 3. Moreover, theoutlines of these lower edges may be other than rectilinear provided thevariation in height along the edge proceeding from one lateral wall tothe other is secured which causes an eflective part of the lower edge tobecome engaged before and to be submerged before another effective partis submerged as the water rises.

It will be understood further that the invention may be utilized inmodules having more than two baffles as described in the presentembodiment and, moreover, that a downstream bafile of a plurality ofbaffles may be provided with a lower edge having a contour of varyingheight for the same effect and purpose as described herein with respectto the upstream baflle of two such baflies in order that the flow may becontrolled in the manner described through the orifice formed beneaththe lower edge of such downstream baflle.

I claim:

1. A hydraulic module comprising a base wall extending generaly in thedirection of flow of the hydraulic fluid, opposed lateral wallsextending transversely of said base wall and generally in said directionof fluid flow in spaced relation to each other, a first flow determiningbaflie disposed with its surface extent transverse to said lateral wallsand transverse to said base wall and extending upwardly from the latterto a given level, said baflie having an edge disposed toward said basewall and extending transversely of said lateral walls in spaced relationto said base wall and forming one side of a orifice for the hydraulicfluid, said baflle edge being configured so that portions thereof areencountered by the fluid before other portions thereof during a rise inthe level of the fluid flowing through such orifice, and a second baflledisposed in spaced relation to said first baflie in the downstreamdirection and with its surface extent transverse to said lateral wallsand transverse to said base wall, said second baffle having a lower edgeextending transversely of said lateral walls in spaced relation to andabove said base wall and defining with said base wall and said lateralwalls a second flow orifice of less area than the orifice defined inpart by said first baflle edge.

2. A hydraulic module comprising a base wall extending generally in thedirection of flow of the hydraulic fluid, opposed lateral wallsextending transversely of said base wall and generally in said directionof fluid flow in spaced relation to each other, a first flow determiningbaflle disposed with its surface extent transverse to said lateral wallsand transverse to said base wall and extending upwardly from the latterto a given level, the lower edge of said baflle extending transverselyof said lateral walls in spaced relation to and above said base wall andforming with the latter and said lateral walls a flow orifice, saidlower baflle edge being configured so that portions thereof areencountered by the fluid before other portions thereof during a rise inthe level of the fluid flow through such orifice, and a second baffledisposed in spaced relation to said first baffle in the downstreamdirection with its surface extent transverse to said lateral walls andtransverse to said base wall, the lower edge of said second bafileextending transversely of said lateral walls in spaced relation to andabove said base wall and defining with said base wall and said lateralwalls a second flow orifice of less area than the orifice defined inpart by said lower edge of said first bafile.

3. A hydraulic module such as defined in claim 2 in which said loweredge is rectilinear and increases in height above said base wall in thelength of said edge substantially from one of said lateral walls to theother.

4. A hydraulic module such as defined in claim 2. in which said loweredge comprises two portions oppositely extending from a low pointthereon upwardly to respective points adjacent said opposite lateralwalls.

5. A hydraulic module such as defined in claim 2 in which said loweredge comprises a plurality of generally horizontal portions disposed invertically stepped relation to each other.

6. A hydraulic module such as defined in claim 2 including a shut ofigate disposed downstream with re- 'spect to said second baffle and withits surface extent transverse to said direction of flow, said gate beingsupported for vertical movement thereof into engagement at its loweredge with the stream of fluid flowing from said second orifice and uponcontinued movement through said stream into engagement with said basewall to stop the flow of said fluid.

7. A hydraulic module comprising a base wall extending generally in thedirection of flow of the hydraulic fluid, opposed lateral wallsextending transversely of said base wall and generally in said directionof fluid flow in spaced relation to each other, a first flow determiningbafiie dis-posed with its surface extent transverse to both said lateralwalls and said base wall and extending upwardly from the latter to agiven level, the lower edge of said bafll'e extending transversely ofsaid lateral walls in spaced relation to and above said base Wall andforming with the latter and said lateral Walls a flow orifice, a secondbafile disposed in spaced relation to said first bafile in thedownstream direction with its surface extent transverse to said lateraland base Walls, the lower edge of said second bafiie extendingtransversely of said lateral walls in spaced relation to and above saidbase wall and defining with said base wall and lateral Walls a secondflow orifice of less area than the orifice defined in part by said loweredge of said first b aille, a shut off gate dis posed downstream withrespect to said second bafiie and with its surface extent transverse tosaid direction of flow, said gate being supported for vertical movementthereof into engagement at its lower edge with the stream. of fluidflowing from said second orifice and to a closed posit-ion in which itis in engagement with said base wall to stop the flow of such fluid, andmeans for locking said gate in its closed position and for supporting itin a position in which the lower edge thereof is posit-ioned above suchstream of fluid, said last mentioned 8 a means comprising a pair ofvertically spaced locking elements fixedly secured to the upstream sideof said gate, a shaft extending transversely of said lateral walls andsup ported thereby, a locking member supported on said shaft for pivotalmovement about the axis of the latter and engageable with the upper oneof said locking elements to lock said gate in closed position andengageable with the other lower locking element to support said gateabove said stream of fluid, means normally biasing said locking elementinto engagement with said elements, a lever supported on said shaft forpivotal movement about the axis of the latter and operable to withdrawsaid locking member from locking engagement with a locking elementagainst the biasing action of said biasing means, and means for securingsaid locking member in locking engagement with a locking element.

8. A hydraulic module such as defined in claim 7, in which said gatecarries a plate having upper and lower ends bevelled with respect to thehorizontal, said bevelled ends constituting said pair of verticallyspaced locking elements.

9. A hydraulic module such as defined in claim 7, in which said biasingmeans comprises a counterweight provided on said locking member so thatit normally tends to pivot said locking member on said shaft in adirection to bring the locking element engaging portion of such memberinto latching engagement with such locking elements.

10. A hydraulic module such as defined in claim 7, in which saidsecuring means comprises latch means for securing said lever to alateral wall when said locking member is "in locking engagement witheither of said locking elements.

References Cited the file or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 230,339Ridgeway July 20, 188Q 1,161,997 Thompson Nov. 30, 1915 2,762,202 PonsarSept. 11, 1956 2,832,203 Bernard Apr. 29, 1958

